Saturday, 22 October 2016

The first so-called refugees have been relocated to the UK under a scheme to reunite unaccompanied children living in the "jungle" camp in Calais with their relatives living here. But if you were hoping to see the young primary school kids with tears rolling down their grubby cheeks that the media broadcast at us every day you'll be disappointed.

Facial recognition software has put the ages of most of the "children" anywhere from mid-20s to late 30s. One so-called refugee claimed to be under 18 but is believed to be 38. A fostering charity - TACT - claimed he was an interpreter and said anyone using him to criticise so-called refugees is racist but they later backed down when they discovered he was actually a grown man pretending to be a child.

The Home Office is refusing to carry out dental checks on people who are clearly grown adults claiming to be children because it's "intrusive". Disabled people already living here can be subjected to intrusive medical checks and degrading interviews to prove their continued entitlement to disability benefits but young men in their 20s and 30s who've travelled more than 2,000 miles across the Middle East and Europe might find having an x-ray traumatic so Home Office officials have to take them at their word.

Home Office officials are also not checking whether the family these so-called refugees claim they have in the UK actually exist or whether they're willing to look after these young men. Many of those young enough to get away with calling themselves children are likely to end up being put up by local authorities when they turn out to be homeless.